1. Field of Invention
Applicant's invention relates to denture brushes. Specifically, applicant's invention relates to denture brushes having a handle that is offset axially from, and parallel to, the plane of bristles.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Heretofore, the problem of cleaning unwanted contaminants from dentures has resulted in the development of various toothbrush style devices or denture soaking solutions.
Toothbrush style devices usually incorporate one or more planar surfaces of bristle tufts having varying widths, varying lengths, some angled axially about the central axis, or combinations thereof. They heretofore have mostly had, for a handle, merely an elongated extension of the bristle plane. That style of handle requires a necessary, and minimal, degree of dexterity or strength by the user for manual operation.
Because complete and effective denture cleaning still requires scrubbing and brushing, denture wearers heretofore had to rely on brushes of the toothbrush-style configuration, or brushes suited more aptly to scrubbing fingernails. Therein lies the problem. Even though present denture brushes are effective in function, they require the user to possess sufficient strength and dexterity in his fingers and hands.
Denture wearers that have limited use of their hands and fingers because of injuries, an arthritic condition or some infirmity, have additional problems when using denture brushes shaped like toothbrushes. The size and shape of toothbrush style handles are generally too small and too narrow to grasp comfortably when one has diminished use of fingers or hands, plus the handles can become slippery when wet and covered with cleansing paste or liquid.
It would appear that denture brushes heretofore have been configured primarily to conform to marketing requirements dictated by the display racks used in retail stores.
The following references are cited to illustrate the points heretofore mentioned:
1. U.S. Pat. No. 1,813,076 to Newell (1931), reveals a novel bristle configuration at each end of a narrow elongated handle that typifies how inventors have concentrated on the function while not fully addressing the problems encountered by the users. PA0 2. U.S. Pat. No. 2,190,277 to Viragh (1940), who paid considerable attention to bristle placement, making it better adapted to cleaning dentures, but again, only if users have adequate hand strength and finger dexterity. PA0 3. U.S. Pat. No. 3,732,973 to Crawford (1973), reveals a configuration well suited to the problem of storage, for marketing appeal, but inadequate for use without above average hand strength to hold the small curved handle. PA0 4. U.S. Pat. No. 3,864,781 to Leonard (1975), who recognized the inadequacies of the standard toothbrush for cleaning dentures, but still employed the long narrow handle that people find so difficult to use when wet and slippery. PA0 5. U.S. Pat. No. 4,010,509 to Huish (1977), showing a typical toothbrush improvement, but with long narrow handle. PA0 6. U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,351 to Koffler (1984) is not intended to be used for the cleaning and scrubbing of dentures, but illustrates a bristle configuration that meets the requirements for scrubbing and cleaning dentures better than the smaller and narrower configurations of a toothbrush style denture brush.
All the above references cited and others, generally known to the inventor, appear to have adequate capabilities for the scrubbing and cleaning of dentures, and while the intended purpose of the present devices is not disputed, all toothbrush style implements, revealed through a preliminary search by the inventor, seem to have the common shortcoming of focusing on the scrubbing and cleaning function, while not fully addressing the problems encountered by many denture wearers, to wit: lack of adequate strength and dexterity in their hands and fingers to use the devices as intended. The applicant's invention addresses that problem and fills that need.